Refrigerating machine



Sept. 30, 1924.

C. F'. GEIGER ET AL.

REFRIGERATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 19. 192] 7 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 6W1 I 3 M 7 ATTORNEY Sept. 30, 1924. 1,509,998

c. F. GEIGER ET AL 'REFRIGERATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 19. 1921 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS/ f M 7%; ATTORNEY Sept; 30 1924.

Fiied Sept. 19.

192] '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 s R m m M m 2.; ATTORNEY Sept. 30. 1924. I

C. F, GEIGER ET AL REFRIGERATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 19. 192] '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR A 8.81411,

Sept. 30, 1924. 1,509,998

C. F. GEIGER ET AL REFRIGERATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 19. 1921 f Sheets-Sheer, 5

INVENTORS M. c

BY $4M 1M Q2 ATTORNEY Sept.. 30. 1924. 4 1,509,998

C. F. GEIGER ET AL REFRIGE RATING MACHINE Fild Sept. 19. 1921 7 Sheets-Sheet e mum / INVENTORS) 50 5 BY TmEM 7Z ATTORNEY Sept. 30. 1924. k 1,509,998

I C. F. GEIGER ET AL REFRI GERATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 19. 1921 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 flu; ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 30, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,509,998 PATENT OFFICE.

CALL GEIGEB AND FREDERICK 0. em, 0! DAYTON, OHIO.

BEFRIGERA'I'HG CHINE.

Application med September 19, 1921. Serial in. $01.35;.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CARL F. GEIGER and FREDERICK C. GEILER, citizens of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements'in Refrigerating Machines, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

- The principal object of this invention is to provide for domestic and other uses, a mechanical refrigerating machine which is compact in construct1on, and efiicient and It is absolutely autostalled in any refrigerator of the ice-cooled type. Furthermore, it will maintain a lower temperature than ice, and at approximately half the cost of the latter.

Other important and incidental objects will be brought out in the following specifi cation, and particularly pointed out in the subjoined claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective .view of a refrigerator equipped with our improved mechanical cooling means. Figure 2 is an end elevation of the refrigerating unit. Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line AA of Figure 2', showing the compressing and condens- 'ing mechanism. Figure 4 is an end sectional View taken on the line BB of Figure 3, showing the improved stulling box. Figure 5 isa sectional View taken on the line CC of Figure 2 showing the automatic controlling means. .Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the expansion valve. Figure 7 is a top plan view of said valve. Figure 8 is a perspective View of the brine tank, showing the freezing compartment and ice drawer. Figure 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of said tank, showing the expansion coil. Figure 10 is a top lan view of said tank, with the top remov Figure 11 is a perspective View of the ice drawer. And Figure 12 is a section on the line DD of Figure 5.

Throughout the specification and drawings, similar reference characters denote corresponding parts.

Referring to the accompanying drawin the numeral 1 desi ates a refrigerator 0 a common type, in t e ice compartment 2 of which is placed a brine tank 3 constructed as follows. Referring to Figure 8, the tank 3 consists of a rectangular box about the size of a hundred pound cake of ice and preferably constructed of tinned copper. Within the walled interior portion 4 of this tank is preferably placed a solution of calcium chloride which surrounds a tubular copper coil 5 connected at one'end to the lower end of an expansion valve 6. At its other end the coil is connected, by a tubular fitting 7, to the rear end of the compressor casing 8. (See Figures 1, 3 and 6.)

The front portion of the brine tank 3 is closed by an ornamental late 9 preferably made of vitreous enameled sheet-iron. This plate is provided with a central opening closed by a hinged door 10, that afi'ords ac cess to the freezing chamber which the coil 5 and the calcium chloride solution surround. (See Figures 8 and 9.) Movable into the bottom rtion of the brine tank 3 isan elongated rawer 11, semi-oval shape in cross section, that is divided into a numiber of compartments 12 to receive waterfrom which ice blocks are formed for table use. The drawer 11 may be readily moved outwardly and inwardly by a finger grip 13 on its front end. (See Fgures 8 and 11.)

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the compressor casing 8 has a crank chamber 14 fOIIDiBCl between a partition wall 15 and the'outer wall of said casing. Mounted in.a circular hole in the middle portion of the partition 15, is an. elongated bearing 16 for a crank shaft 17 on which is fast a crank 18 having a right-angled crank pin 19 to which is secured one end of a connecting rod 20. The inner end of the latter is connected by a wrist pin 21-to a piston 22 movable in a cylinder 23.

The cylinder 23 projects through a hole in apartition Wall 24 in the middle portion of the casing 8, to enter a compression chamber 25. The rear end of the cylinder 23 is closed by a head 26 in which there is a hole 27 adapted to be opened and closed by a flap valve 28 secured at its lower end to the head 26. (See Figure 3.) Y

The compression chamber 25 is closed by a removable head 29 secured to the casing 9 by ca screws 30. Mounted on, and projectingt rough, the head 29 are the inlet and outletends 31 and 32 respectively of a coil of copper tubing 33. (See Figure 3.) This coil surrounds that portion of the cylinder ting 7 that receives one'end oft ecoil 5.

lid

(See Figures 3 and 4.) This chamber 34 counicates with the crank chamber 14' throu h urcuate holes 36. Ports 37, 37 are provided in the cylinder 23 to-adnnt the sul-v phur dioxide gas into the space 1n 1t ahead of the piston 22 when a vacuum 15 created by the forward stroke of the latter. On the return stroke of the piston, th1s gas is compressed and forced outwardly into the compression chamber 25 through the port 27 past the flap valve 28.

Water, entering the inlet port1on 31 of the coil 33, tlows through the latter to extract the heat units from the compressed gas, caus ing the latter to liquity and lie on the bottom Or the compression chamber 25 as shown in Figure 3.

The pressure of the gas in the compression chamber 25 above the liquid formed by the condensed gas, forces said liquid into a strainer tube 38 that projects into a fitting 34 secured in the casing 8. A tube 40' received by this fitting,conducts the liquid to a fitting 4-1 that enters the lower half portion 42 of the expansion valve 6 for communication with a lateral passage 43 that leads to a chamber 44 in said valve. (See Figures 2, 3 and 6.) Projecting downwardly into the chamber 44 is a needle valve 45 adapted to open and close a tapering hole 46 in a seat 47 secured in the lower end of the said chamber. The tube 5 that leads to the brine tank 3, enters a fitting 48 which is screwed on the lower reduced threaded end 49 of the lower section 42 of the expansion valve casing. A bore 50 in this reduced end 49 oi the' valve casing communicates with the needle opening 46 in the seat 47 to conduct the liquid in its finely divided form to the tube 5, for transference by it to the coil in the brine tank 3.

Again referring to Figure 6, a diaphragm 51 is interposed between the lower section 42 of the valve casing 6 and the upper section 52 of the latter, said sections being compressed against the circumferential edge portion or the diaphragm by screws 53 which pass through holes in the marginal flange portions of said valve casing sections. (See Figures 6 and 7.)

Screwed into the peripheral portion of the top section 52 of the expansion valve, is a fitting 54 which receives a tube 55 that leads to a T 56 on the brine tank 3,. for connection through it with the tube 5. (See Figures 2 and 8.) The fitting 54 communicates with the space above the diaphragm 51 through a lateral passage 57 in the wall of the upper section 52 of the valve casing. Screwed on the upper reduced threaded portinon 58 of thetop section 52 of the expansion valve casing, is a cap 59 which seats on a rubber gasket 60 that rests on a shoulder formed around said reduced portion. Beneath the cap 59 is an adjusting screw 61 neonate the chamber 44. The head 66 of the bellows 65 has a hollow stem portion 6'? which projects upwardly through a central hole in the diaphra 51, to act as a pilot for the lower end of the spring 64, as well as a nut to receive the upper threaded end of the needle valve 45. A washer 68 is soldered on the diaphragm 51 around the stem 67 of the bellows, to seal the chamber on one side of the diaphragm from that on the other side. The chamber above the diaphragm is sealed against the escape of gas, or the admission of air, by the cap 59 and gasket 60,

The operation of the expansion valve 6 will now be described. The refrigerating agent, which in this instance is sulphur dioxide, enters the chamber 44 through the passage 43 from the tube 5, at a predetermined pressure, exerting said pressure against the lower surface of the bellows head 66. This upward pressure is restrained by the spring 64 until a partial vacuum is created above the diaphragm 51 by the suction exerted by of the latter in the brine tank 3, where it is converted by the absorption of heat from the brine, into a vapor. This withdrawal of heat from the brine, reduces the temperature of the tank, which in turn lowers the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere in the refrigerator containing the tank.

Since the tube 55 is connected by the T 56 to the return portion of the ex ansion tube 5, any back pressure which wou' d be set up by a flow of gas through the needle opening in the seat 47, in excess of that withdrawn from the expansion tube 5 by the action of the compressor, will decrease thevacuum above the diaphragm 51. This will permit the spring 64 to exert a sufficient counter-pressure against the needle valve 45 to close the b the following means. Referring to igures 5, 8 and 9, the numeral 69 desig-' nates a thermostatic tube which projects upwardly through the top of the brine tank 8 into the calcium chloride solution or brine. @n the top of said tube is mounted a gage 7 0.- Connected to, and communicating with, the thermostatic tube 69, is a tube 71 which is. connected by a fittin 72 to the head 73 of a horizontally dispose metallic bellows 74. The front portion of the latter is contained within a' steel cap .75. secured to an automatic control housing 7 6s The metallic beliows 74 projects into this housing through a hole 7 7 in the latter. (See Figure 5.)

The opposite head 78 ofthe bellows 74 is doweled into one end of a bell crank lever 79 mounted on a pivot pin 80 secured within the housing '76. The other end of said bell crank lever is connected by a link 81 to an arm 82 pivotally mounted on a pin 83 secured in a switch frame 8 1 mounted in a switch housing extension 85 of the com.- pressor casing 8. (See Fi ure 5.)

Mounted on the base 0 the switch frame 8 1- is. a transverse insulated block 86 on which is secured 'a contact 87. Adapted to engage the latter is a brush 88 carried by the insulatedlend of a brush arm 89 pivotj i ally mounted at its rear end on an upwardly projecting portion 90 of the switch frame. Connected to the free end of the arm 82 is a laminated spring 91, the lower end of which is secured'to the free end of a trip trigger 92 pivotally secured within the slotted portion 93 of the brush arm 89. (See Fi ure 5.).

upported by a bearing block 94 mounted on the base of the switch frame 84, is a bell crank lever 95, the vertical end of which terminates in a hook shaped head 96 below which is a notch 97. Adapted to be engaged by the notched portion 97 of the bell crank lever 95, is a catch plate 98 .secured .to the free end of the brush arm 89. When the outer edge of this plate 98 is engaged by the notched portion 97 of the lever 95, the brush 88 will be held in firm engagement with the contact 87, to close an electric circuit through wires 99 and 100 which lead to an electric motor 101 that drives the compressor through an endless chain 102 which passes around a sprocket wheel 103 fast onthe crank shaft 17. (See Figures 4 and 5.)

The electric circuit is broken when the notched portion 97 of the bell crank lever 95 is withdrawn from engagement with the plate 98. The out-ward movement of the upper end of this bell crank lever 95 to disengage its notched rtion 97 from said plate, is accomplishe as follows: The opposite end of the bell crank lever 97 is in the path of downward movement of-the free end of. the trigger 92 which, when forced over center by the arm 82, will be snapped into engagement with the outer end of the horizontal portion of the bell crank lever 95 to withdraw the notched portion 97 on its other end from engagement with the catch plate 98. When the trigger 92 passes below center, it will impart a sudden up- -is contracted, due to the lowering of the brine temperature, it will reduce the pressure of the gas in the metallic bellows 74. This reduction of pressure will permit a suspension spring 104 to exert a pull upon the upper end of the bell crank lever 79 to raise, through the link 81, the front end of the arm 82. When the front end of the latter is raised, its rear end will be depressed to force the trigger 92 downwardly to break the contact in the manner just described. It is thus seen that when the temperature of the brine in the tank 3 is lowered, the motor 101 will be stopped until the temperature of the brine rises suiiiciently to expand the gas in the thermostatic tube 69 to set up a pressure in the metallic bellows 74 that.will overcome the tension of the spring 104. One end of the latter is connected by a pin 105 to ears 106 on the upper end of the bell crank lever 79, while the other end of said spring is connected to a screw eye 107 adjustably secured to a washer 108 that covers a hole in the automatic control housing 76. Threaded on the outer end of the screw eye 107 is a nut 109 by means of which the screw eye may be longitudinally adjusted to vary the tension of the spring to make the automatic operation of the switch responsive to any desired temperature of the brine tank. (See Figure 5.)

The admission of water to the coil 33 in the compression chamber 25, is automatic-' ally controlled by the following means. The inlet tube 31 is connected by a fitting 110 to a water valve casing 111 which is secured in the automatic control housing 76. (See Figure 5.) A water supply pipe 112 is connectedby a fitting 113 to the end portion of the casing 111. Projecting into said casing through a packing 114 secured in its other end, is a needle valve 115. The latter has an outer threaded end which projectsthrough a hole in the lower end of a lever 116 which is fulcrumed on the pin 80, straddling the bell crank lever 79 which is also fulcrumed on said pin. (See Figures 5 and 12.) Nuts 117 and 118 are placed on the threaded end of the needle valve 115,

one on each side of the lever 116, to adjust the proper movement of the needle-valve by the lever.

llnto the upper end of the lever 116 is doweled the head 119 of a metallic bellows 120 which projects outwardly through. a hole 121 in the automatic control housing 76 into a steel cup 22 secured to said housing. The

' outer head 123 of the metallic bellows 120 has a tubular portion- 124 which projects through the cup 122 to receive a fitting 125 that in turn receives one end of a tube 126 whose other end is connected by a fitting 127 to the compressor casing 8 for communication with the compression'charnber 25 therein. (See Figures 3 and 5.)

' Connected by a pin 128 to ears 129 on the lever 116, is one end of a suspension sprlng 130 whose other end is connected to a screw' chamber rises above a predetermined reading on the gage, say thirty four pounds, the pressure of the gas in the metallic bellows 120 will'overcome the tension of the spring 130, said gas being conducted to said bellows through the tube 126. Therefore, the bellows 120 will exert a suficient'pressure upon the upper end of the lever 116 to cause the lower end-of the latter to pull the needle valve 115 from its seat, thus permitting water to flow past it into the inlet tube 31, which conducts said water to the condenser coil- 33 within the compression chamber 25. When the water passesthrough the coil 33, it will lower the temperature of the surrounding gas sufliciently to cause it to liquefy, thereby reducing the pressure of the remaining gas to a normal working pressure.

Now when the gas in the compression chamber 25 reaches, or goes below, its normal working pressure, its pressure in the metallic bellows 120 will be reduced sufficiently to cause the spring 130 to exert a pull upon the lower end of the lever116 to cause it, in turn, to force the needle valve 115 tightly against its seat, thus checking a further flow of water to the coil 33, as when the motor is idle.

Should the water at any time be turned 0d ahead of the valve 111, the pressure of the gas in the metallic bellows 120 would become so great as to force the head of a screw 135 on the upper end of the lever 116, into engagement with the upper end of the bell crank lever 79, to move the latter a scient distance to disengage the switch, thereby stopping the motor 101. (See Figure 5.) Assurance isithus given that no damage will result to the mechanism through the shutting ofi of the water in the main line. The screw 135 can be set to engage the upper end of the hell crank lever 79 to cause the latter to disengage the switch when the pressure of the gas in the metallic bellows 120 rises to a predetermined point--in the present instance being sixty pounds.

\ Referring to Figure 4, the crank shalt 17 passes through a stuffing box 136 secured in the compressor casing 8; This stufiing box has a corrugated periphery to present a large surface to the gas which flows around it in the' chamber 34, on its way to the crank case 14. it is thus seen that the cool gas returning from the expansion coil in the brine tank 3, by flowing over the stug box 136, will prevent it from heating, thereby minimizing friction therein.

Surrounding the shaft 17 is a coil spring 137 which exerts suficient pressure against the metallic packing 138 in the stufiing box 136 to prevent any leakage of gas past it.

The tension of this spring 137 is adjusted by a nut 139 which receives the head of the spring, and screws into the stufing box.

struction insures proper. lubrication of the said driving elements.

Cast on top of the casing 8 is a pair of cars 143, 143 in which is secured a transverse pin 144 on which is pivo-tally mounted a base plate 145 on which is secured by bolts 146, 146, the base portion of the motor 101. (See Figures 3 and 4.) ing upwardly from the casing, loosely passes through a hole in the base plate 145. Two nuts, 149 and 150, are placed on the outer end of this stud, one on each side of the base plate 145, to adjust the angular position of the outer end of the base plate, and through it, the angular position of the mot'o'r to take up any slack in the chain 102.

While the refrigerating unit may be placed anywhere, it is shown in Figure 1 as mounted upon a base 151 suspended by rods A stud 148 project- 152 secured toofloor joists 154 below a floor vbination with a compressor, of an expansion- 1. In a refrigerating apparatus,'the combmation with a compressor, of an expansion coil, a refrigerant line leading from said compressor to the expansion coil, means forpressor from the expansion coil.

2. In a refrigerating apparatus, the comcoil, a refrigerant line leadin from said compressor to the expansioncoil, means for returning cool gas from the latter to the compressor, a shaft for the compressor, and externally corrugated packing means surrounding said shaft in the path of the cool gas returned to the compressor from the expansion coil.

3. In a refrigeratin apparatus of the type described, the com ination with a 0%- ing, of a compressor therein, an expansion tank, a refrigerant line leading from said casing to the expansion tank, a. return line leading from the latter to said casing, a crank shaft in the latter for the compressor, and a stufiing box for said crank shaft, lo-

cated in said casing in the path of the gas returned to itely said return line, for the purpose specifi 4. In a refri eratin apparatus of the type described,t e com ination with a compressor casing, of a crank chamber in the latter, a crank shaft in said chamber, a gas receiving chamber communicating with the latter, and through which said crank shaft projects, a compressor driven by said shaft, in .said'casing, an expansion tank, means for returning'cool gas from the latter to the receiving chamber in the compressor casing, and a stufiing box for the crank shaft,

in the gas receiving chamber, in the path of theincoming gas from the expansion tank.

5. In a refrigerating apparatus of the type described, the combination with a compressor casing, of a compressor in the latter, a crank shaft for said compressor, mounted in said compressor casing, an expansion coil, means for returning cool gas from the latter to the compressor casing, and a stufiing box having a corrugated periphery, through which said shaft projects, located in the compressor casing opposite the cool gas returning means. 1

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 14 day of Se tember. 1921.

CARL F. GEIG FREDERICK,C. GELLER.

- Witness:

Howm S. SMITH. i 

